Barefoot AT Hiker plods on to help vets

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Tom Rankin

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BOILING SPRINGS, Pa. - More than 500 people hike the entire Appalachian Trail, which runs from Maine to Georgia, each year. Ron Zaleski has been trying to accomplish the feat barefoot. His goal is to bring attention to the need for combat veterans to receive counseling.

"In the beginning I thought, 'I gotta do this to show how tough I am. I want to be famous,'" he said at a recent pause to eat some pecan ice cream. "Now I just want to help these kids."

Full story:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060919/ap_on_fe_st/barefoot_hiker
 
Ouch

I can't imagine being barefoot on top of the Presidential Range.

And he plans to hit the end of the trail just before Christmas? I wonder how the BSP rangers are going to feel about him climbing Kahtadin barefoot in the snow.

That said, you have to admire his cause.
 
whitelief said:
And he plans to hit the end of the trail just before Christmas? I wonder how the BSP rangers are going to feel about him climbing Kahtadin barefoot in the snow.

I think he is hiking the trail southbound.

I also swear that I've read about others who have hiked the AT barefoot... not that it doesn't make it an amazing accomplishment... I'm just not sure he will be the first?

- Ivy
 
poison ivy said:
I think he is hiking the trail southbound.

I also swear that I've read about others who have hiked the AT barefoot... not that it doesn't make it an amazing accomplishment... I'm just not sure he will be the first?

- Ivy
It says on his website that he is hiking southbound.
 
Barefoot Sisters from Maine

poison ivy said:
I think he is hiking the trail southbound.

I also swear that I've read about others who have hiked the AT barefoot... not that it doesn't make it an amazing accomplishment... I'm just not sure he will be the first?

- Ivy
The barefoot sisters: Isis and Jackrabbit hiked the entire Appalachian Trail from Maine to Georgia--and BACK!! They completed almost all of the hike barefoot.

Onestep
 
sapblatt said:
LarryD, Rols and I saw this guy in late June/early July when we did our epic Boott Spur trip - he is heading southbound - we saw him between Lakes and Monroe.

I like my boots!

July. Sticks and I saw him before noon as he came down from Washington toward the Lakes hut, so we must have seen him the same day as you did. I didn't notice the barefeet at first because I was stunned by all the stuff he had duct taped to himself, water bottles, etc. I hope he succeeds in his mission.
 
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